City win five-goal thriller

Manchester City picked up their first win in Group A with an entertaining 3-2 victory over Steve McClaren's FC Twente.

Last Updated: 06/11/08 9:56pm

Manchester City picked up their first win in Group A of the Uefa Cup with an entertaining 3-2 victory over Steve McClaren's FC Twente.

Goals from Shaun Wright-Phillips, Robinho and substitute Benjani Mwaruwari were enough to give Mark Hughes's men the points, but they were made to work hard for the victory by an enterprising Twente side.

City got off to a flying start when Shaun Wright-Phillips opened the scoring after just two minutes following a neat one-two with Jo.

FC Twente caught City cold on 17 minutes when Eljero Elia raced clear of the defence to slot home past Joe Hart.

City restored their lead on 57 minutes with a sublime effort from Robinho as the Brazilian cut inside and curled a brilliant shot into the top corner.

Benjani marked his return from injury with the third goal with a deflected shot just three minutes after coming off the bench.

Twente refused to lie down and Rob Wielaert reduced the arrears on 65 minutes when he rose highest to head home from a corner.

The visitors really should have equalised in the closing stages when Stein Huysegems somehow missed from close-range with the goal at his mercy, but City hung on to take all three points.

City got off to a flying start with Wright-Phillips making the breakthrough in the second minute.

He fired a right-foot shot into the corner after a neat one-two with Jo for his fifth goal of the season.

City almost added a second three minutes later but Sander Boschker did just enough to parry Robinho's effort.

Equaliser

The Dutch side, however, drew level in the 17th minute when Elia won the ball, almost booting Pablo Zabaleta in the face in the process.

Referee Nikolay Ivanov allowed play to continue, which caught City cold as they were clearly anticipating a free-kick. Elia took advantage and showed a quick turn of pace before rifling a shot beyond Hart.

Jo got away from his marker in the 41st minute but his effort showed a lack of confidence and Boschker made a comfortable save. Then the Brazilian saw his back-heel saved by the goalkeeper in stoppage time after good work by Wright-Phillips.

City regained the lead in the 56th minute with that spectacular strike from record signing Robinho.

Manager Mark Hughes made a switch in attack in the 59th minute when Benjani, who had recovered from a thigh injury, replaced the ineffective Jo.

The move paid dividends as two minutes later City went 3-1 ahead with Benjani's effort taking a deflection off Douglas to leave the goalkeeper wrong-footed.

Twente, however, refused to lie down and pulled a goal back in the 64th minute thanks to a header from Wielaert.

Warning shot

It was a warning shot to City that this match was far from over.

Twente substitute Stein Huysegems should have pulled them level in the 71st minute but scuffed his shot wide from close range.

That acted as a wake-up call to City with Robinho seeing his effort come back off the inside of the post four minutes later.

Then Boschker did well to parry Benjani's effort in the 77th minute and Robinho saw another shot come back off the post.

Huysegems squandered another great chance of securing a point on the stroke of full-time, failing to find the target from four yards out.

It was a nail-biting finish but City just about deserved it on the balance of play and it was just the result Hughes was looking for following Premier League defeats at the hands of Bolton and Middlesbrough.